Road Race Results - 2008

Easterley Falling Leaves Road Race (ERRL)

Sunday 7th September - Littlebury Green Circuit

Wet, gritty roads didn't stop Mark Porter (Glade CC) from winning his first road race after 23 years of trying. He was active from the
start, trying solo efforts on the first and second laps and then in a break of eight riders on lap 3. This contained Mark, the home
club's Andy Ballentyne, Mark Howard (Shaftesbury CC), Nigel Hampton (Glendene CC), Jonathan Appleby (North Road CC), Ian Samuels (Crest CC)
and two others. This was pulled back so Russell Ford (Interbike) tried his luck. Mark chased along Ian Samuels and Nigel Hampton
and was then joined by Mark Howard again. They worked well together to establish an eventual lead of 1:30 although Ian was unlucky to
suffer a puncture - one of many on the day. Meanhwile behind in the bunch, Andy tried a few times to get away but was pulled back
each time and decided to wait for the bunch sprint. Russell Ford picked up the primes however Mark won the battle of the break and came
home the winner, ahead of Russell, Nigel and Mark Howard. In the bunch, Andy tucked himself out of the wind up the final hill and then
kicked at the 200m mark to go clear of the rest.

Pos.

No.

Rider

Club

Cat

1

20

Mark Porter

Glade CC

3

2

32

Russell Ford

Lotto Olympia Team Interbike

4

3

22

Nigel Hampton

Glendene CC / Bike Trax

4

4

43

Mark Howard

Shaftesbury CC

4

5

15

Andrew Ballentyne

Easterley RC

3

6

40

Richard Somerset

North Road CC

3

7

41

Robert Bryant

Shaftesbury CC

3

8

3

Robert Jackson

Cambridge CC

3

9

21

Justin Browne

Glendene CC / Bike Trax

3

10

4

Ralph Keeler

Cambridge CC

3

11

28

Jason Evans

Lea Valley CC

4

12

57

Ben Brown

Whitewebbs CC

3

13

48

David Bamford

Team Economic Energy

3

14

33

James Wylie

Lotto Olympia Team Interbike

3

15

65

Andrew Mazewski

www.agiskoviner. com

4

16

37

Jonathan Appleby

North Road CC

3

17

63

Valentino Fontana

Gemini BC

3

18

42

Ian Heather

Shaftesbury CC

3

19

31

Peter Constable

Lotto Olympia Team Interbike

3

20

17

Tom Neill

Finchley Racing Team

3

21

9

Dave Woods

CC Luton

3

22

50

Darren Cainey

Team Economic Energy

3

23

64

Richard Moss

BC Private Member

3

24

60

Andrew Brown

The Gregarios Superclub Ciclista

3

25

62

Sue Gray

Chelmer CC

3W

26

26

Peter Ingram

Ipswich BC

4

27

36

Daniel Smith

Metropolitan Police CC

3

28

6

Alan Galloway

CC Luton

3

29

16

Piers Brown

Finchley Racing Team

3

30

55

Andrew Elderfield

VC Revolution

3

31

29

Trevor Whittock

Lea Valley CC

3

32

53

Graham Brown

VC Norwich

4

33

49

J Paul Bird

Bird Team Economic Energy

3

DNF

5

Glen Vinnicome

Cambridge CC

4

DNF

7

Richard Mead

CC Luton

4

DNF

8

Anthony Maye

CC Luton

4

DNF

10

Stuart Clark

Chelmer CC

4

DNF

11

James Samuel

Crest CC - Ilford

4J

DNF

12

Ian Samuel

Crest CC - Ilford

3

DNF

13

Christopher Baldwin

Eagle RC

3

DNF

18

Tony Couchman

Glade CC

3

DNF

19

Anthony Miller

Glade CC

3

DNF

27

Daniel Zagni

Ipswich BC

3

DNF

30

Lionel Birnie

The Gregarios Superclub Ciclista

4

DNF

34

Glenn Carr

Metropolitan Police CC

4

DNF

44

Richard Parrotte

Shaftesbury CC

3

DNF

45

Daniel Scott

Shaftesbury CC

3

DNF

46

Adrian Ward

Shaftesbury CC

3

DNF

47

Kristian Mobbs

Stowmarket & District CC

4

DNF

59

David Crowe

Colour-Tech RT

3

DNS

1

Mark Careless

Cambridge CC

3

DNS

2

Steve Cotton

Cambridge CC

3

DNS

14

Damien Foy

Eagle RC

3

DNS

23

Paul Martin

Glendene CC / Bike Trax

3

DNS

24

David Tucker

Glendene CC / Bike Trax

3

DNS

25

Neil Fraser

Hitchen Nomads

4

DNS

35

Jeremy Phillips

Metropolitan Police CC

4

DNS

38

John McDowall

North Road CC

4

DNS

39

Jeff Robinson

North Road CC

4

DNS

51

Terry Garlinge

Team Economic Energy

3

DNS

52

Jonathon Tomlinson

Team Economic Energy

3

DNS

54

Paul Dewberry

VC Revolution

3

DNS

56

Richard Norris

VC Revolution

3

DNS

58

Adrian Trenholm

Becontree Wheelers

4

DNS

61

Brad Pearman

Redbridge CC

3

Ciclos Uno Summer Series (LVRC)

Sunday 27th May - Dunton

Hot sunshine with just a gentle breeze meant good racing conditions, however all attacks - including one by Andy Ballentyne with
Dave Farrow (Eagle RC) and Ken Baker (Colchester Rovers CC) - were brought back so it all ended in a bunch sprint. Andy positioned himself
in second place round the final bend and then when the sprint went, tucked in behind Dave, changed up to the 13 sprocket and challenged
again. He wasn't able to come round him however, or stop Keiran Dineen from coming round both of them for the narrow win.

Eagle RC Road Race

Sunday 15th June - Quendon - 96km - 3/4/J

Phil Hersey from the promoting club slipped away on his own on the last lap and stayed away for the win. Behind it all ended in a
bunch sprint for second place. Andy Ballentyne stayed out of trouble on the front of the bunch but didn't have the speed in the finish
sprint, finishing 10th and therefore 11th overall

Colchester Rovers Road Race

Sunday 8th June - Abberton - 110km - 3/4/J

Like a pint of Guinness, all good things come to those who wait - and so it proved for Andy Ballentyne in winning the Abberton road
race on Sunday, using the same circuit as the Jock Wadley round Layer de le Haye, Layer Breton and Abberton Reservoir.
Conditions were chilly first thing with the promise of temperatures rising dramatically later on, and a breeze to take the edge of the
heat and make things a bit harder comeing back across the reservoir. All earlier breaks came to nothing, including a good solo effort
by Mark Porter (Glade CC) who got a minute's gap at one point. Just as it looked like ending in a bunch sprint, Rob Bryant (Shaftesbury CC)
had a go on his own with 3 laps to go. With two laps to go, Ian Samuels (Crest CC) and Mark Porter started chasing and got across to Rob
after the left turn at Layer de le Haye. Andy positoned himself near the front on the run up to Layer Breton, where Ron Hewes
(Interbike) put in a hard turn up the hill. Andy followed and together with Dan Scott (Shaftesbury CC), they caught the first three and
established a small gap. With Ken Baker (Colchester) getting across the gap, they then worked hard to establish a lead. Having been very
active earlier on, Ian was dropped a lap later and then up the final hill into Layer, Ron put in a hard turn, Andy latched on to his
wheel and they had a few yards lead. Andy then went past Ron at the top of the hill to finish first and score his road race win for 14 years.

Ciclos Uno Summer Series (LVRC)

Sunday 11th May - Dunton

It was a case of so near yet so far for Andy Ballentyne in the 1 hour plus 5 lap race held in glorious sunshine on the Ford test
track at Dunton. Various breaks had tried to get away in one and two's, including Andy's attempt with Gareth Smith (Braintree Velo)
after the first
prime, but they all came to nothing and it looked like ending in a bunch sprint. And then two riders drifted off the front with two
to go and a third chased after them. With the bunch not reacting, there was a danger of them staying away until a Kenton RC rider
started chasing coming up the home straight into the wind with a lap to go. Andy tucked in on his wheel and went past just before
the hill, catching the three riders away in the process. A VC Londres rider bridged across and with a small gap established, it was
a case of trying to hang on for the win. With the VCL rider blowing from his effort to get across, Andy did the bulk of the work on the
final lap but with the final stretch into the headwind, it wasn't quite enough to hold off the bunch and he was caught with 50 metres
to go, still holding on for 8th place though. The sprint was won by Dominic Gabiallini (Rapha Condor).

ECCA Festival Road Race

Sunday 4th May - High Easter - 84km - 3/4/J

The weather finally seems to have a turned a corner and conditions were just about perfect for the road race - warm, dry and just a
gentle breeze. Andy Ballentyne and Chris Burley were the two Easterley riders. At the end of the neutralising zone, Gary Wood (Maldon &
District CC) jumped away, followed closely by Ian Samuels (Crest CC). Andy rode across to them but the bunch reacted and caught him.
Gary and Ian persisted and Andy had another go and caught them on the run into Abbess Roding. Darren Knight (London Fire Brigade CC),
Daniel Scott (Shaftesbury CC) and Robert Hunt (APi) also bridged the gap and this group steadily pulled away until it reached a
maximium of 1 minute. The gap then tumbled and Robert decided to go solo jumping away at Boyton Cross with 1.5 laps to go. The other
five were having none of it however and had pulled him back by Margaret Roding. However the bunch wasn't far behind and on the run
down to Fyfield, Daniel Scott was tailed off but Anthony Stapleton (Chelmer CC) crossed the gap. The fresh legs in the break couldn't
stop the inevitable however and the race was all back together at Birds Green with one lap to go. The pace was still quite high on the
final lap and with 50 riders still in contention, the bunch was qetting twitchy. Robert Hunt made another solo effort towards Fyfield,
Anthony crossed to him and they got a small gap. Chris had a go on the front at this stage and on the run into Birds Green, Robert
was dropped by Anthony who stayed away for the lone win. Behind there was a lot of jostling for position on the narrow lane to the
finish at Berners Roding and although Andy was well placed, with tired legs from his earlier efforts could only come 10th.

Whitewebbs CC Criteriums

Sunday 27th April - Dunton - 50km - 3/4/J

The rain held off but a nagging headwind down the back straight of the Ford test track at Dunton didn't do any favours for riders
trying to make a break. Andy Ballentyne did try an early break with Clive Richardson (Bishop's Stortford CC) and one other but this was
soon pulled back. Other small groups tried and failed - each pulled back by the 60 strong bunch. At about 2/3rds distance, Andy had
another go, bridging across to Dave Young (Crest CC) and the two managed to get a gap of about 200 yards which was the largest of any
break during the race. However this was also brought back after a couple of laps and the race settled down for a bunch sprint.
With over 50 riders still in contention the last lap, this proved to be quite hairy and although Andy set himself up in 3rd position
coming into the finishing straight, he didn't have the legs in the sprint, ending up in 18th place.
James Price (Chelmer CC) was the winner.

Glendene CC LVRC race

Sunday 13th April - Thaxted - 50 miles

Andy's legs were a bit tired from the previous day's race which meant he missed the early break of 9 riders which formed on the first
lap. He started chasing with 6 other riders and nearly got across to the front group however his group splintered under the pressure and
most dropped back to the bunch. Andy continued with another rider however for the next 2.5 laps, losing time to the break but gaining on
the bunch. With 1.5 laps to go, Andy's companion dropped off on the drag up to Howlett End so he contined on his own. The bunch started
to make ground and had almost caught him the final time up the climb into Debden. Andy made one big effort to stay away however and
crossed the line about 50 yards ahead of his pursuers for 10th place overall and 3rd 'A' cat.

Westerley CC Crits

Saturday 12th April - Hillingdon - 25 miles - 3/4/J

It was a case of East meets West as Andy Ballentyne travelled across town to ride the Westerley crits at the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit.
Although he had the intention of saving himself for the following day's LVRC race, he was feeling strong, and got into several early breaks,
each of which were pulled back until he joined a group of 12 about mid race. This group pulled steadily away and Andy was 5th in the sprint.

Maldon & District Road Race

6th April 2008 - Steeple - 40 miles, 3/4/J

Blizzards were the feature of the race and meant that only 15 out of the 45 starters actually finished. An emergency baseball cap
under his crash hat helped Andy Ballentyne to see where he was going on the first lap when conditions were at their worst, with snow
starting to settle on the roads.
Dennis van Gaveren (Interbike) got away mid race and built up a healthy lead until Dominic Schils bridged across and eventually dropped
him. Werner Otto (Finchley RT) also broke away in the latter stages and also caught and dropped van Gaveren who was by now suffering
from the extreme cold and only just held off the pursuers. Andy had made a few attempts to get away during the race each of which were
chased down by the Interbikes and had to settle for 3rd in the "bunch" sprint - 6th overall.

Thanks to Simon Gooderham (Maldon & District CC) for the use of the picture.

Ed Taylor Memorial Race

8th March 2008 - Thurlow - 50 miles, 2/3/4

Heavy rain before and during the event meant a very wet ride for every one with the road flooded in places. A very fast start strung
the field out and it wasn't long before the race split into several groups with Andy Ballentyne riding his first race of the year in the
3rd group. This split again and he ended up in a group of three. In the lead however, Digby Symmonds (Cambridge CC) had collided with a car and with
the an ambulance called, the race was stopped. Andy's group was stopped at the finish line and although the race was eventually re-started,
he decided to call it day and go and get dry before getting cold.